Matrix-distributing mechanism.



B. F. BELLOWS.-

MATRIX DISTRIBUTING MECHANISM.

APPLIOATION FILED AUG. 16, 1906.

Patented May 11, 1909.

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APPLICATION FILED AUG. 16, 1906 Patented May 11, 1909.

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MATRIX DISTRIBUTING MECHANISM.

APPLIOATION IILED A,UG.16, I906.

Patented May 11, 1909.

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APPLIOA'TION FILED AUG.16, 1906.

Patented May 11, 1909.

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BENJAMIN r. Burrows, or CLEVELAND, onto, ASSIGNOR TO ELECTRIC COMPOSITOR COMPANY, OFNEW roan, N. v, A CORPORATION or NEW JERSEY.

MATRIX-DISTRIBUTING MECHANISM.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Iatented May 11, 1909.

Application filed August 16, 1906. Serial No. 330,776.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, BENJAMIN F. BEL- Lows, a citizen of the United States, residing at Cleveland, in the county of Guyahoga and State of Ohio, have invented a certain new and useful Improvement 1111 MatriX-Distributing Mechanism, of which the following is a full, clear, and exact description. v

This invention relates to improvements in mechanism for automatically distributing to their respective magazines, matrices which are distinguished. from one another by differently arranged groups of holes and contact surfaces.

The invention is an improvement upon the distributing mechanism shown in my 800,970 although it most nearly resembles the mechanism shown in the latter patent;

The principal object of the invention is to eliminate from the distributing mechans ism, the 'electro-magnets, which are employed in connection with. the mechanism shown" in said prior patent, to furnish a powerfor moving the various groups ofdistributing. switches. Gne part. of the invention is to be found in the mechanism by. which said grouqs or switches are properly moved without using electro-magnets.

Another object of the invention is to simplify the construction and render the action of the mechanism definite and certain. Another part of the invention, there fore, consists in the partsand combination of parts for contributing to thatresult.

Another object of the invention is to prevent the delivery to the matrix magazines of any matrices which belong to. some, font other than that which themagazines" then in the machines are intended to, contain; and to withdraw all matrices belonging to the wrong font from the line and to send them toward some receptacle other than the magazines without stopping the regiilardistributing operations of the mechanism. Another feature in the invention, therefore, is to be found in the font separating mechanism, shown and described.

The various features of the invention above referred to are shown in the drawing and hereinafter .described and definitely of the distributing mechanism, embodying the present invention. Fig. 2 is a perspectiVe front elevation ofthe cage and its slide. Fig. 3 is a. rear elevation of the distributing mechanism embodying the present. invention. Fig. 4: is a side elevation with a small part of the mechanism shown in section in the plane indicated by line et-t on Fig. 8. Fig. 5 is a sectional side elevation in the plane indicated by line 5-5 on Figs. 1 and 9. Fig. 6 is a sectional plan view in the plane indicated by line 66 on Fig. 1 showing the slide 87 and some other parts associated with it. Fig. 7 is a plan view of the distributing mechanism. Fig. 8 is a detached plan view of the slide 60' Fig. 9- is a sectional. plan view in the. plane indicated by line 9 on Fig. 1, the font separating mechanism being shown with only the arm insection. Fig. 10 is a sectional elevation in theplane indicated byline 10-10 of Fig. 3. Fig. 11 is a front view of lever 34. Fig. 12 is a perlower member of one of the swinging frames 16. Fig. .13 represents two matrices belonging. to the same font. Fig. 1-1- represents a 'matriX belonging to a different font; and Fig. 15 represents a permanent space. Y r

Referringto theparts shown in the drawing, 3 repr sents the distributing rail onto which a line of matrices 1 may be delivered in any suitable manner. 87 represents a propeller slide, which, when the matrices are on said rail, is under the influence of a force constantly impelling it to move to the right. 'Mechanism for s0 moving this slide may be of any suitable character as, for example, such as is shown in any of my prior patents above mentioned. The pro peller slide has a forwardly projecting springactuated presser bar 88, which extends over the distributing rail and engages with the rearmost matrixin the line; and thereby said line is pushed along the rail until the matrix at the right end of said line engages with the fixed verticalguide rib 89; The

. matrixso engaging with the guide rib has passed beyond the rightend of the distributing rail and may,xtherefore, be moved down.

5 represents the throat of the distributing channels (i -which throat is shown by dotted lines in Fig. 1. It has not been thought necessary to show all of these dis tributing channels and the switches which they contain since, in such respects, the distributing mechanism embodying the present invention is to be like that shown in the prior patents mentioned particularly No. 800,970. Fig. 1, however, does show the upper switch 9, the upper ends of two other switches, and the upper end of one of the bisecting partitions 8; and Fig. 3 shows the arrangement of the switches and of the rock-shafts 12 to which the switches are secured, and also shows the construction and arrangement of the switch operating mechanism. Each switch is attached to a rockshaft 12, which extends through and is journaled in the vertical frame member 9.; and each rock-shaft has an arm 13 attached to its rear end. These switches are arranged in groups, there being one switch in the upper group, two in the next lower group, four in the next lower group, and so on. The rock-shafts of all of the groups, exceptthe two upper ones, are arranged in arcs of circles having a common center. To operate the groups of switches which are so arranged in are shaped rows, swinging frames 16 are provided,there being six of these frames, all hung on the horizontal stud 11, and all having arc-shaped lower members 17 in which are notches 15. tached to the arms 13 project into these notches, wherefore, it is evident that, by swinging one of these frames a short distance in one direction or the other, all of the switches in the associated group will be caused to swing from one extreme position to the other. The two switches constituting the second group have their arms 13 c011- nected by a bar 18.

The matrices to be distributed by the mechanism shown are like those shown in said prior patent No. 800,970, in that each is a little block of metal, having a character depression 45 in one of its vertical edges, and having a vertical groove 43 extending from top to bottom in one side thereof, the grooved middle parts of all matrices being of the same thickness. In this grooved part of each matrix are two vertical rows of holes 41 and contact surfaces 42-. There are places for eight holes in each row; but these holes are arranged in different combinations on different matrices, and a hole in one row is always associated with a contact surface along side of it in the other row.

Horizontal rods 54 and 55 are movable endwise in the fixed block 53, and they project at both ends thereof. Eight of these rods 54 are arranged one above another in a vertical row, and eight other rods 55 are similarly arranged in an adjacent vertical row. Each rod of one row is associated with a rod in the same horizontal plane in the other row to form a cooperating pair. A cage 60 is movable to right and left tolay therein.

Crank pins atward and from the ends of these rods. The cage, in the form shown, is a built-up structure includii a block' se which is secured to the front face of the slide (3% in the right band edge of this block is a vertical groove extending from top to bottom. The other part of the cage is made up of a bent piece of metal 00". likewise secured to the front face of the slide 02-3. The end of this piece is bentinto vertical form and is tilted into the vertical groove in the l lock (30, at such a distance therefrom as will leave a recess between it and the left face of said groove wide enough for the widest matrix to pa s through. The vertical plate referred to con stitutes the right, hand of the cage proper. it will he understood that. this particular manner of makingthe cage is not an essential charzu'teristic of the invention. It is essential, however, that it should have the vertical recess 02 extending through it from top to bottom, and that this recess shall be just a shade wider measured from front to back than the width of the matrices. so that they may pass through it freely, but so that. they will not have much, if any, lateral. This cage is located in a plane below the distributing rail, and it has in its right end sixteen holes 01., which extend to and slightly beyond said recess (12, and are alined with said rods 54- and 55. These holes are always alincd with the holes l1 and contact surfaces of a matrix when the latter in said recess 12 and is rested upon a horizontal surface below the cage, which surface, in the normal operations of the device. is immovable.

So nmch of the mechanism as is described above is or may be substantially like the mechanism shown and described in my prior patent No. 800,070.

Associated with each pair of rods 54; and 55 are two levers 20 and 21, which are pivoted on the same horizontal axis to a part of the machine frame. ()ne arm of the lever 20 projects up into the path of the right end of the associated rod 54; while one arm of the other lever 21 projects into the path of the right end of the associated rod .\ssociated with each pair of levers 20 and ii is pivoted rocker whose. opposite ends are respectively connected by links 23 and 24 with the lower arms of the associated pair of levers 20 aml Q1.

The rocker 29., which is associated with the upper switch 0, is attached to the rear end of its rock-shaft 172. The rocker 22, which is associated with the two switches in the next lower group, is attached to the rear end of the shaft 12 of one of said switches. The other rockers 22 are all attached to rock- L shafts 25 mounted in the frame of the machine; an arm 26 attached to each of these rock-shafts, and each of these arms 20 is connected with an car 19 on one of the strike the rods which are opposed to the holes 41; in fact, these rods may, because of these holes, be moved to the left, and are actually so moved at the same time that other rods opposite the contact surfaces on the matrix are moved to the right, as is hereinafter explained and that said rods will push against the arms of the associated levers 20 and 21 and will rock them; and that the movement of said levers will be transmitted, through the train of mechanism described, to the associated groups of switches. I

The described mechanism could be constructed and adjusted so as to cause the complete movement of the various groups of switches in either direction; but the repeated use of the matrices, as the means for pusl'iing rods 5% and hard enough to produce this result, would, eventually, wear the matrices and cause, in their contact surfaces, depressions which would be objectionable for many reasons. Therefore, the described mechanism, in the construction shown, is only employed to move the switches in the required direction slightly past their central position. Their movement is completed by other mechanism as follows: There is a vertical movable bar 30 suitably mounted on the rear side of the machine frame. A number of arms 31, (one for each group of switches) are fixed to this bar; and these arms carry, respectively, downwardly directed vi-shaped fingers 32, which are for the purpose of engaging with the upwardly pointed V-shaped fingers 33, which are suitably connected with the operatingmechanisms of the groups of switches. The upper t -shaped finger is secured directly to the upwardly extended arm of the rocker 22 attached to the rear end of the shaft 12 of the upper switch. The J-shaped fingers associated with other groups of switchesare cminected directly with the arc-shaped lower members of the swinging frames 16. The V-shaped fingers associated with the two lower groups of switches and with the next to the top group, are formed on the/rear faces of the levers 34-, which are pivoted to the machine frame, and have suitable vertical slots 35 in their front faces, each of which slots receives a pin 86 secured to the cross bar 18, and to the arc-shapedmembers of the swinging frames respectively. All of the parts described areso arranged. and

adjusted that when the switches stand in an intermediate position the'upper pointed ends of the if-shaped fingers Wlll all be in 64 to move it to the left. 't-ached to shaft 80, moves it .in the other dithe same vertical plane as the lower pointed ends of the V -shaped fingers 32 of the arms. 'The bar 30 is moved up by a spring 38; and is moved down by a cam 37 which operates upon an arm-39 secured to said bar 30. This cam is suitably rotated, and is connected with the same shaft 80 to which the cage operating cam 69 is connected; and the cams are so formed and secured upon said shaft that just before the cage pushes the matrix against the rods 54 and 55, the bar 30 is allowed to move upward. Then the matrix ,by'pressing against said bars 5 and causes, through the described intermediate mechanism, a movement of the various switch operating mechanisms far enough to carry the V-shaped fingers severally associated with them, in one direction or the other, past their central position. The cam 37 now forces the bar 30 downward, whereby, all of the V shaped fingers 32 carried thereby engage with the V-shaped fingers 33 associated with the switch operating mechanisms, and, thereby, move the latter as far as they should move, and in the same direction in which. they were initially moved by the matrix as above stated. As the switches are moving to this position, the spring 64- .138 drawn the cage backward, that is to the left, a very short distance, until the recess therein is directly over the distributing throat- 5. The cage pauses momentarily while the ejector 56 comes quickly down on top of the matrix in the cage and pushes it rapidly out of the recess into the distributing throat. 5, and with a force suificiently strong to impel it rapidly downward through that distributing channel which has been formed by the movement of the switches. The cage '60 is attached to the front side of a slide 63 mounted in the frame, and subject to the action of a spring A cam 69, at

rection.

Normally a slide 66 whose top surface is in the same plane with the lower edge of a matrix in the cage, covers the upper end of the distributing throat. This slide has in its side and near its right end a notch 67, which receives a finger 68 which projects forward from the cage slide 63. hen the still fartherto the left, to the position where it receives a matrix. from the line above,

this finger engaging with the left end of sa d notch moves the sllde so as to again cover the distributing throat. The right end matrix in the line is moved down into the cage recess by a transfer slide 65, which is moved down by a spring 82; and upward by a lever 83, operated by a cam 86 on shaft 80. The ejector slide 56 is also moved down by a spring 81, and upward by a lever 84., operated by cam These operations are repeated indefinitely so long as any matrices are on the distributing rail. lVhen all of them have been distributed, a rearwardly extended finger 90 on the pressure arm 88 engages with the fixed shoulder 91 and thus prevents further movement of the pressure arm, and the slide which carries it, to the right.

The mechanism above described is that which takes part in the distribution to the magazines of those matrices belonging to the font in said magazines. It not infrequently happens, however, that, through inadvertence. accident or mistake, matrices belonging to some other font may be delivered to the distributing mechanism. Heretofore, in machines of this general character, it has been customary to differentiate the matrices of diderent fonts by differently placed font distinguishing notches. It has also been customary to provide the distributing mechanism with adevice so placed that the notches in the matrices which should be distributed to the magazines, would permit said matrices to pass said device. A matrix whose font distinguishing notch, however, is differently placed, will strike this device and thereby the progress of the entire line will be arrested until someone manually removes I fron the line the wrong font matrix which causes the stoppage.

In the mechanism shown in the drawing, font separating mechanism has been provided. It is unlike font distinguishing mechanism heretofore used in linotype machines, because it does not merely stop the line, and consequently the distribution of the matrices until an operator shall have removed the wrong font matrix from the machine. In fact, it does not at all interfere with the continuity of the distributing of the matrices, but it does mechanically withdraw from the line the wrong font matrices therein, and diverts them from the magazines, and sends them along toward some other receptacle adapted to receive them; and it does this automatically without any care or attention on the part of the operator.

The font separating mechanism, which is shown in the drawing, includes a slide 71, which lies wholly to the left of the distributing throat, and normally lies below the recess G2 in the cage 60 when the cage is in the position to receive a matrix from the distributing rail. A dog 73 is pivoted to the left end of this slide and has one horizontal arm which extends over the top of sanded said slide and within a. short distance of its right end. A. spring 71 is secured at one end to a downwardly extended arm of said dog, and at the other end to a part of the fixed frame, wherefore, this spring not only tends to move the slide to the right as far as possible, but also tends to swing the horizontal end of the dog upward. There is a rock-shaft 74 having three arms 75. 76 and 77. One of these arms 77 has a horizontal pin 77 which extends over and normally bears upon the top of the dog. A spring 74: is employedto so rockthe rock-sh a ft as to cause this pin to bear upon the dog with force enough to hold the dog down below the path of the cage. The arm 76 extends downward at an inclination, and has a pin which extends into the path of the cage. The third arm attached to this rock-shaft extends upward, and is provided with an adjustable extension 78 having a rearwardly extended pin 79.

The matrices are all provided in their front edges with font distinguishing notches H, which notches are placed at the same distances from the top on all matrices belonging to the same font, but are placed at a different distance from the top on the matrices belonging to other fonts. The extension 78 is so adjusted that the notches -14;

in those matrices which are to be distributed to the magazines will slip over the pin 79 and will not, therefore, move the arm 75 or its rock-shaft. When this end matrix comes to a stop against the guide rib 8 the pin 79 is in the notch of said matrix. When, however, the cage moves to the left so as to bring its recess into position below this matrix, it will strike the pin 70 and rock the rock-shaft 74 enough to withdraw pin 7t) from notch l4, wherefore, the matrix can be pushed down into the cage recess. If, however, the matrix at the right end of the line does not have its font distinguishing notch in proper position to slip over pin 79 it will strike said pin and thereby rock the rockshaft 74- by pushing the upper arm 75 to the right. This will happen when the cage is almost at the right end of its path,at which time the left end of the cage is to the right of the right end of the dog 73. When shaft 74L is so rocked by a moving matrix, the dog 73 is freed from restraint, and will thereupon fly up into the path of the cage. hen the cage, therefore, moves to the left, to the position to receive the end matrix from the distributing rail, it will hit the end of the dog and thereby push the slide 71 to the left. This removes from beneath the cage that surface upon which the bottom of into the distributing throat, however, be cause said cage recessis to the left'of said throat. Preferably a channel 4 is formed at the left of the distributing throat, and the matrix will drop therein and will be thereby conveyed to any receptacleprovided to receive it. When the cage makes its next trip to the right this slide 71 will be returned Ito its normal position by its spring 71, and the spring 74* will then so rock rock-shaft 74 that the dog 73 will be again pressed and held down in its normal position where the cage will not hit it. The same spaces, such as are shown in Fig. 15, may be used with any font of matrices. The spaces are not, therefore, provided with narrow font 7 distinguishing notches, but are provided with a long notch is which is placed so that the space can never touch the font distinguishing piniwhatever may be its position.

As will be seen from Fig.9 the endwise movable rods and 55 have in their a 1 proximate faces the notches'5l and 52respectively. A fixed pin 58 passes vertically upward in the spaces formed by these notches, and this pin, by engagement with the ends of these notches, serves to limit the possible movementof the rods in either direction.

Having described my invention I claim: 1. in matrix distributing mechanism, the combination of pairs of movable devices adapted to be moved by the matrices to be distributed, groups of switches, a movable member for operating, each group of switches, a pair of levers associated with each pair of said movable devices and adapted to be moved respectively thereby, and mechanical connections between each pair of levers and one of the switch operating mem bers.

2. In matrix distributing mechanism, the combination of pairs of movable devices adapted to be moved by the matrices to be distributed, groups of switches, and movable in en hers severally associated with each group of switches and operatively connected therewith to move said group of switches, with a pair of levers associated with each pair of said movable devices,each lever having an arm in the path of a movable device, links connected respectively with said levers, a pivoted rocker whose opposite ends are respectively connected with said links, and connections between each of "said rockers and one of the switch operating members.

3. In matrix distributing mechanism. the

combination of groups of switches, an operating member I01 each group of switches, means whereby the matrics to be distributed will severally cause an incomplete movement in the proper direction of definite switch operating members, and mechanism for completing the movements of said switch operating members in the direction in which they were started by said matrices and the mechanism operated thereby.

4. in matrix distributing mechanism, the combination of a group of switches, a movable member for operating all of the switches in said group, a movable device, fingers having inclined surfaces attached respectively to said switch operating member, and movable device adapted to be brought into engagement by the movement of the latter, mechanism for initiating the movement of the switch operating member, and mechanism for moving said movable member.

5. in matrix distributing mechanism, the combination of several groups of switches, transversely movable switch operatin members which are severally connected with the groups of switches, a vertically movable member, and suitable operating mechanisms therefor, with devices having inclined surfaces respectively connected to the several switch operating members and to the vertically movable device and adapted to be brought into engagement by the movement of the latter, and mechanisms for severally initiating the movements of the switch operating members.

6. In matrix distributing mechanism, the combination of several groups of switches, transversely movable switch operating mem bers severally connected with said groups of switches and adapted-to operate same, a V-shaped finger connected with each of said switch' perating members, a vertically movable bar, arms secured thereto carrying V-shaped fingers which are severally adapted for engaging with the V- shaped fingers of the switch operating mechanisms, means whereby the matrices to be distributed will initially move the switch operating mechanisms in either direction past the central posit-ion, and mechanism for moving said rod vertically.

,7. In matrix distributing mechanism, the combination with a transversely movable cage having a matrix recess through it from top to bottom, a slide over the distributing throat and below said cage, and mechanism intermediate of said cage and sllde for moving the latter so as to cover and uncover said distributing throat.

8. In matrix distributing mechanism, the combination with a transversely movable slide covering the distributing throat, a cage located over said slide and having a matrlx recess, a transversely movable slide to which said cage is connected,-the two slides having respectively a slot and a finger of less width projecting into the slot.

9. In matrix distributing mechanism, the combination of a. distributing rail, means 'formoving matrices along said rail, a slide below said rail, means for moving matr1ces singly downward from. the rail onto the slide, a movable font-distinguishing pin which projects over the distributing rail, and mechanism, which is rendered operative by that movement of said pin which will be caused by the engagement therewith of a moving matrix, for withdrawing said slide from the downward path of said ma- Mix.

10. A matrix distributing mechanism, having a throat through which all of the matrices must go in passing to their respective magazines, the combination of matrices having font distinguishing notches which are differently placed on the matrices of different fonts, amovable device having a finger which extends into the plane of the font distinguishing notch of that font of matrices which is tobe delivered to said distributing throat and which therefore is not in the plane of font distinguishing notches of other matrices and will therefore be struck by said matrices as they are moved toward the distribution point, and means operated by said movable device for diverting from the path it must travel to the distributing throat and for discharging elsewhere any matrix which strikes and moves said movable device.

11. In matrix distributing mechanism, the combination with matrices having font distinguishing notches which are differently placed on matrices of different fonts, a transversely movable cage having a recess extending from top to bottom, means for moving the matrices singly into said recesses, a slide normally located under said cage when the latter is in position to receive said matrices, a movable device adapted to be struck by the matrices whose font distinguishing notches are placed differently from the notches on the matrices which are to be distributed to the magazines,- and mechanism rendered operative by the movement of said movable device whereby the slide is withdrawn from beneath said cage.

12. Tn matrix distinguishing mechanism, the combination of a transversely movable cage having a matrix recess extending from top to bottom, a slide normally located below said cage when the latter is in the position it occupies when matrices are delivered into its recess, a dog carried by said slide and adapted to be moved into the path of said cage, mechanism for holding said dog out of the path of said cage, and mechanism adapted for operation by a wrongfont matrix for releasing said dog.

13. In matrix distributing mechanism,the combination of a transversely movable cage having a matrix recess extending from top to bottom, a slide normally located below said cage when the latter is in the position it occupies when the matrices are delivered into its recess, a dog carried by said slide and adapted to move automatically into the path of said cage, a rock-shaft having an arm engaging with said dog to hold it down, another arm secured to said rock-shaft having a pin projecting into the path of the matrices, and matrices having font distinguishing notches which are dilfereutly placed on the matrices of different fonts.

14. A matrix distributing mechanism in combination with a distributing rail. matrices movable thereon which matrices have font distinguishing not chcs differently placed on the matrices of different fonts, mechanism for moving a line of said ma rices along said distributing rail, a transversely movable cage having a recess extending from top to bottom, mechanism for moving the head matrix of the line into said cage recess, a slide nornjially lying below said cage at the time when the matrices are moved down into said recess, a device adapted to be struck and moved by those matrices on the distributing rail who-lo font distinguishing notches are not placed in the position they occupy on those matrices which are to be distributed, and mechanism rendered operative by th movement of said device for withdrawing said sl'de from beneath said cage.

15. in matrix distinguishing mechanism, the combination with a group of switches, a transversely novablc switch operating member operativcly connectml with all the switches in the group. a lever pivoted to a fixed support and having a longitudinal groove in one side, a pin secured to the switch ope 'ating member projecting into said groove, and mechanism operating on said lever to move said switch operating mechai'iism.

16. in matrix distributing mechanisnnthc combiimtion with a group of switches, a transversely movable switch operating member operatively comiectcul with all of the switches in the group, a lever pivoted to a fixed support and having a longitudinal groove in one side, a pin secured to the switch operating member projecting into said groove, :1 i shaped linger on said lever, and a vertically movable V-shapcd linger for engagen'ieut therew'th.

ii in matrix distributing mechanism, the combination of a pair of endwise movable rods located side by side and having notches in their approximate edgts a liv d pin passing through said notches. and mechanism connecting said rods whereby the movement of one rod in one direction produces a concurrent movement of the. other rod in the opposite direction.

In testimony whereof, l hereunto allix my signature in the presence of two witnesses.

\Vitnesses:

H. R. Siinnivir, E. B. Ginonms'r.

llltl lltl 

